New research indicates that parents’ apprehension about mathematics may unintentionally hinder their children’s ability in the subject. Concerns about math can be defined as a negative emotional reaction, usually characterized by worry and stress, which can adversely affect one’s performance in the field.
This analysis included over 400 pupils from primary schools in Dublin and Mayo, as well as their parents and teachers. The study determined participants’ math anxiety levels through a series of questions, such as their physical response to challenging math problems or whether their nervousness interfered with their problem-solving capabilities.
The outcome revealed an association between parents’ high math anxiety and increased math apprehension along with decreased performance in their children. This research is part of the Arithmós Project, a cooperative effort between University College Dublin and the Technological University Dublin, sponsored by the Irish Research Council.
Anxiety about mathematics can be unconsciously transmitted socially from parents to children, as these studies show. Parents who are uneasy about math may unintentionally communicate their negative emotions about the subject to their children, which might worsen their children’s feelings about math and affect their performance negatively.
In addition, the research discovered that boys tended to outperform girls in most math-related tasks at primary school levels, resulting in girls having higher anxiety levels. This unease about the capabilities of the students may lead even the top-performing female students to shy away from challenging mathematical tasks out of a fear of difficulty. Boys, however, exhibited more motivation, resilience, and less math anxiety.
Dr Flavia H Santos, lead of the Arithmós Project, noted it was striking that girls underperformed in some math challenges even having the same learning conditions as boys.
The study revealed that negative perceptions and anxieties related to maths in parents can affect their children’s homework and unintentionally contribute to growing disparities in this field. It’s necessary for society as a whole – educators and parents included – to reshape the method by which mathematics is introduced to young children.
It’s crucial that this issue be given immediate consideration, the study suggests, thereby urging educators and policy makers to pinpoint efficient methods to cultivate a positive attitude towards maths from an early stage in a child’s life.
The research incorporated educational digital games as a possible strategy for supporting this goal. A digital card game known as Seven Spells, designed to enhance mathematical abilities and strategic thought, was created by Dr Pierpaolo Dondio and Dr Mariana Rocha of TU Dublin. The game was introduced to 23 classrooms, engaging over 400 children in third and fourth class.
The study incorporated a structure where selected children from each class played the Seven Spells games for 45 minutes per week over five weeks, during standard school hours. Other students in the class engaged with educational maths videos, while the remaining students — referred to as ‘passive groups’— continued with their regular class activities.
A tangible improvement in math skills was observed among the children who had the opportunity to play Seven Spells. As per Dr Santos, even students who showed high math anxiety willingly continued to play post the intervention period, denoting the positive effect gameplay had in reducing maths aversion.
The research promotes suggestions to teachers, parents, and policymakers about improving the promotion of maths education, cautioning that a lack of confidence at an early stage can deter young girls notably from exploring their interest in Stem subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Additional research supports the finding that as students grow and the curriculum becomes more abstract, particularly during secondary school, their attitude towards maths typically becomes less positive.